Booklet-label



April 26, 1955 A. MILLER BOOKLET-LABEL Filed Dec. 28, 1951 INVENTOR Luui5 A-Mi11er,

ATTORNEY cured to a container and a booklet United States Patent 2,706,865 BOOKLET-LABEL Louis A. Miller, San Francisco, Calif.

Application December 28, 1351, Serial No. 263,792

4 Claims. (Cl. 40-2) This invention relates to labels to be wrapped around containers and more particularly to such labels incorporating a removable booklet portion.

The patent to L. A. Miller, No. 1,974,401 discloses a label composed of a booklet that is adapted to be wrapped around a container and secured by an overlap extending from one end of the booklet and which is adhesively cemented to the other end of the booklet. This booklet label is not directly secured to the container so that it may be completely removed by cutting the overlap. This label has certain desirable characteristics in that it provides both a label which forms the outer cover as well as a booklet in which may be printed recipes, vignettes or other matter of usefulness to the consumer.

On the other hand, in view of the fact that the label is not directly secured to the container it may be removed, accidently or otherwise, prior to use of the contents of the container and identification of such contents may thereby be lost. Moreover, the label was particularly adapted for use on cans and is retained thereon by the sealing flanges at the ends of the cans. In recent years there has been a large change-over from cans to jars and bottles which have no sealing flange at their bottom and therefore these prior labels could readily slip therefrom.

Having in mind the defects of these prior labels, it is an object of the present invention to provide a booklet label having a label portion that may be directly seportion which may be removed therefrom.

It is another object of the invention to provide a booklet label having simplicity of design, economy of construction and efiiciency in operation or use.

The foregoing objects and other ancillary thereto are preferably accomplished, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, by a label comprising an elongated strip of paper or the like having a label portion which is adapted to be directly secured to the container, the sides of the label portion being defined by tear lines extending transversely across the sheet. Thus, the portion of the sheet not embodied in the label portion may be readily removed from the label portion and the container while the label portion remains on the container for identification purposes.

The label portion preferably is adjacent one end of the sheet and has a lap portion between it and the end, and the remainder of the sheet may thereby constitute the removable booklet portion. In the preferred form, a pair of tear lines are formed across the sheet at one side of the label portion, preferably between the label portion and the lap portion to be secured to the other end of the sheet when the sheet is wrapped around a container. The relatively narrow strip between the pair of tear lines forms a tear strip by which the initial severance of the sheet may be effected to separate one side of the label portion from the booklet portion.

That portion of the sheet between the other side of the label portion and the opposite end of the sheet may comprise the removable booklet and may have printed matter on both sides thereof. In the preferred form, an inwardly disposed leaf portion may be secured along the booklet end of the sheet and obviously may comprise an integral folded extension of the sheet. This leaf portion may comprise one or more leaves or folded plys but, in any event, the leaf portion is not longer than the length of the booklet portion, that is, that portion extending to the tear line between the booklet portion and the label.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures and in which:

Fig. l is a view in perspective of a booklet label in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view in elevation of the booklet label shown in Fig. 1, adhesive having been applied to the label in preparation for application to a container;

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of a booklet label, in accordance with the present invention, applied to a container;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view corresponding to line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of the container shown in Fig. 3 with the tear strip partially removed from between the label and booklet portions, and

Fig. 6 is a view in elevation showing the booklet portion completely freed at one end from the one side of the label portion and partially severed from the opposite side of the label portion.

Referring now to the drawings, specifically to Fig. 1, a booklet label in accordance with the present invention comprises a sheet 10 having a plurality of tear lines 11 extending transversely thereacross to define a plurality of separable portions thereon. These tear lines are preferably lines of perforations to enable ready severance of the sheet. These tear lines are arranged to define a lap portion 12 at one end of the sheet, a label portion 13 adjacent said lap portion and a booklet portion 14 extending from said label portion to a lap portion 15 at the opposite end of the sheet. The tear lines 11 separate the label portion 13 from the lap portion 12 on one side and the booklet portion 14 on the other side.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, a pair of rather closely spaced tear lines 11 are provided between the lap portion 12 and the label portion 13 to define a tear strip therebetween. This tear strip 16 provides means for initially severing the label for removing the booklet therefrom, as will hereinafter be described.

In addition, according to the preferred embodiment, a leaf portion 17 is secured to the end of the sheet 10 adjacent to the lap portion 15 and lies on the inner side of the sheet 10. Obviously, this leaf portion may preferably, but not necessarily, comprise an extension of the sheet 10 that is folded over and thereby provides an integral structure for the complete label. The leaf portion 17 is cut or folded to a length such that its free end 18 does not extend beyond the tear line 11 between the booklet portion 14 and the label portion 13. In other words, the leaf portion 17 does not and must not underlie the label portion 13.

In use, as best shown in Fig. 2, adhesive A is applied to the rear of the label portion 13 and the lap portion 12, the tear strip 16 and booklet portion 14 or leaf portion 17 being free of adhesive. If desired, adhesive may be applied to the front of the lap portion 15 either in lieu of or in addition to the adhesive on the rear face of the lap 12.

When the adhesive is applied, the sheet or label 10 is then wrapped around a container C, as best shown in Fig. 3, with the lap 12 overlapping the lap portion 15 and secured thereto by the adhesive applied to either or both of said laps. The label portion 13 is secured by the adhesive directly to the container C while the remainder of the label, which forms the booklet, is free from the container C and retained thereon only by the label portion 13.

The lap portion 12 may overlap the lap portion 15 in either overlying or underlying relation. It is preferred, however, that the lap 12 overlie the lap 15 as best shown in Fig. 4 because the lap 12 is then very slightly spaced outwardly from the surface of the container C by the thickness of the booklet portion 14 and also the leaf portion 17 if this is included. By this arrangement, the tear strip 16 is spaced slightly from the container wall and this will facilitate the initial tearing of this strip from between the label portion 13 and the lap 12.

When it is desired to remove the booklet portion from the label 13, it is merely necessary for the operator to initiate tearing along the closely spaced pair of tear lines 11 and thereby remove the tear strip 16 from between the label portion 13 and the booklet portion 14, as shown in Fig. 5. When the tear strip 16 is completely removed, one end of the booklet portion 14 is thereby completely freed from the label portion 13 and may be unwrapped from the container C. The other end of the booklet portion may then be severed from the opposite side of the label portion 13 by severing along the single tear line shown in Fig. 6.

When this operation is completed the booklet is then completely free of the container and may be used by the operator for reference purposes, while the label portion 13 is still secured on the container C to identify the contents thereof. In this manner, the booklet may be employed at any time without creating subsequent difi'iculties. Moreover, due to the direct adherence of the label portion 13 to the container C, the label cannot he accidentally dislodged from the container.

Although certain specific embodiments have been shown and described, it is obvious that many modifications thereof are possible. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the spirit of the appended claims in the light of the prior art.

What is claimed, as new, is:

1. A label to be secured around a container, comprising an elongated sheet having a plurality of tear lines transversely thereof, and a lap portion at each end to be mutually overlapped when the sheet is wrapped around a container, said sheet being of a length to wrap but once around a .container with said lap portions in overlapping relation, one of said tear lines being spaced from one end of said sheet and defining the lap portion at said end, said lap portion adapted to have adhesive applied to one surface thereof, and another of said tear lines being well spaced from said one tear line to define a label portion therebetween and said label portion adapted to have adhesive applied to the rear surface thereof whereby said label portion may be directly secured to the container when the label is wrapped therearound, said latter tear line being widely spaced from the other end of said sheet to define a removable booklet portion between said tear lines when said label is applied to a container.

2. A label to be secured around a container, comprising an elongated sheet having a plurality of tear lines transversely thereof, a lap portion at each end to be mutually overlapped when the sheet is wrapped around a container, one of said lap portions adapted to have adhesive applied to one surface thereof so that when said lap portions are overlapped they will adhere to each other, said sheet being of a length to wrap but once around a container with said lap portions in overlapping relation, and a leaf portion secured to one end of said sheet to partially underlie said sheet when applied to a container, one of said tear lines being spaced from the end of said sheet opposite the leaf portion end thereof and defining the lap portion at said end, another of said tear lines being well spaced from said one tear line to define a label portion therebetween and said label portion adapted to have adhesive applied to the rear surface whereby said label portion may be directly secured to the container when the label is wrapped therearound, said latter tear line being widely spaced from the leaf portion end of said sheet to define a removable booklet portion between said tear lines when said label is applied to a container, and said leaf portion being limited in length so that its free end is short of said latter tear line.

3. A label to be secured around a container, comprising an elongated sheet having three tear lines transversely thereof, and a lap portion at each end to be mutually overlapped when the sheet is wrapped around a container, said sheet being of a length to wrap but once around a container with said lap portions in overlapping relation, one of said tear lines being spaced slightly from one end of said sheet and defining the lap portion at said end, said last said lap portion adapted to have adhesive applied thereto, the second of said tear lines being closely spaced from said one tear line and defining a tear strip therebetween, and the third said tear line being well spaced from said second tear line to define a label portion therebetween and said label portion adapted to have adhesive applied to the rear surface thereof whereby said label portion may be directly secured to the container when the label is wrapped therearound, said third tear line being widely spaced from the opposite end of said sheet to define a removable booklet portion between said third tear line and said tear strip when said label is applied to a container.

4. A label to be secured around a container, comprising an elongated sheet having three tear lines transversely thereof, a lap portion at each end to be mutually overlapped when the sheet is wrapped around a container, said sheet being of a length to wrap but once around a container with said lap portions in overlapping relation, and a leaf portion secured to one end of said sheet to partially underlie said sheet when applied to a container, one of said tear lines being spaced from the end of said sheet opposite the leaf portion end thereof and defining the lap portion at said end, said last said portion adapted to have adhesive applied to the rear surface thereof whereby said last said lap portion may be secured to the other of said lap portions, the second of said tear lines being closely spaced from said one tear line and defining a tear strip therebetween, the overlapping of said lap portions spacing said tear strip from said container so that it may be readily torn the third said tear line being well spaced from said second tear line to define a label portion therebetween and said label portion adapted to have adhesive applied to the rear surface thereof whereby said label portion may be directly secured to the container when the label is wrapped therearound, said third tear line being widely spaced from the leaf portion end of said sheet to define a removable booklet portion between said third tear line and said tear strip when said label is applied to a container, and said leaf portion being limited in length so that its free end is short of said third tear line.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 14,000 Cole Oct. 26, 1915 881,011 Lambert Mar. 3, 1908 1,273,105 Van Dyke July 16, 1918 1,756,944 Gorton May 6, 1930 1,896,834 Brown Feb. 7, 1933 1,974,401 Miller Sept. 18, 1934 2,093,985 Stansbury Sept. 21, 1937 

